


Upside down

by ilove_soshi



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band), f(x)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:06:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23373631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilove_soshi/pseuds/ilove_soshi
Summary: Bae Joohyun starts her university life and meets a mysterious schoolmate who happens to be a 100 year old vampire.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Jung Soojung | Krystal
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Part I

It has been six weeks since university had started and Joohyun could say that life has been good to her - so far. She has heard many stories from her older friends about the difficulties of university life such as making friends, keeping up with fast paced lectures, taking part in compulsory school festivals and of course relationship problems. As she looked to her pair of bickering friends seated beside her, Joohyun is glad that none of those are of her concern _yet_. 

“You should really be eating your vegetables, Sooyoung, they are what makes your body grow!”

“That’s exactly why I am giving them to you, Wendy.” 

And that is how their lunch break always goes, light bickering between Sooyoung and Wendy while Joohyun just sits there giving them weird glances occasionally. Joohyun has always been the shy and soft-spoken type, so she is thankful that those two actually took the initiative and befriended her during their orientation days. That makes one problem out of the question. 

“Hey, look, they are here again.” Sooyoung nods her head towards the direction of the cafeteria entrance.

The next scene plays out like a commercial as Joohyun looks up to see what’s the hype about. At that moment, four insanely good-looking students are striding into the cafeteria and literally all eyes are on them. They have been the talks of the school these days, and Joohyun presumed it’s because of their good looks, because personality wise, nobody really knows. They just seem so exclusive that _nobody_ dares to approach them. 

“It’s been a week since they step into the cafe isn’t it?”

“Oh.. Someone has been stalking them,” Sooyoung threw a smirk in Joohyun’s direction, she didn’t expect the older girl to be interested in them. Joohyun’s face reddened slightly. 

“I am not stalking, just observing!” Joohyun retorted and there was some truth in it. To be fair to her, she wasn’t really interested in them, she only paid a little more attention to one of them. And who might that be? Joohyun does not know her name. 

“Is there a time where they don’t go around in a group like that? It seems like they are always together. Do you think they could be dating each othe - ” 

Wendy’s question did not reach Joohyun’s ears as the latter finds herself staring at the girl who has her attention since she step foot into the cafeteria moments ago. The said girl has her straight, long and dark hair down, which further accentuates her fairly pale skin. Though she is slightly shorter than the two guys walking infront of her, Joohyun noticed that she has a really well toned body shape. She looks like she could fight. Just before Joohyun could come up with more things she thinks the girl can do, the girl turned her head and looks into her direction. 

She felt like she was caught. It would have been too obvious if she suddenly look away, so she holds the stranger’s gaze instead. Thirty seconds went by, neither looking away and Joohyun wonders how the girl haven’t bump into anything yet. As if on cue, the girl walk right into the back of her friend and that brings Joohyun back to reality. She lets out a soft chuckle at the girl’s mishap.

“That guy with elf-like ears is Chanyeol and the one beside him is Minho.” Wendy dishes out the information for Joohyun to know, but really, Joohyun isn’t interested in those two.

“The girl who just bumped into Chanyeol, her name is Krystal and the one beside her is Seulgi.” Wendy continues.

Now, _this_ has Joohyun’s full attention.

“You said her name is Krystal?”

“So she’s the one you’ve been stalking this whole time!” Sooyoung let out a teasing gasp and earned herself a slap on her shoulder.

**

And Joohyun has been bumping into Krystal a lot more lately, they even share the same history lecture and it didn’t help that they are seated next to each other. The last she remembered, the seat beside her had been vacant. 

“Hey, I haven’t got to properly introduce myself, my name is Krystal, you are Joohyun, right?”

“Y-yeah, you know my name?” Joohyun meekly asked. She was surprised that the girl had initiated a conversation with her, but what was more shocking to her is that the girl knows her name. 

“Well, yeah, I guess I do.” 

Krystal was looking right into her eyes as she muttered her reply. Their faces are so close this time round that Joohyun notices something she hadn’t in their previous few staring sessions. Krystal has light brown eyes - like a really light shade of brown - and it’s kind of glowing. She hasn’t seen anything like that before but she did not have the chance to think much into it as she could feel her heart beating erratically inside her chest. She jerks back and tries to compose herslf.

“You weren’t here for the last few weeks.”

“Swapped this subject few days back, literature is not really my thing.”

“And history is?”

“For someone like me, I would say yes.” Krystal smiled at her with lips slightly tugging upwards on one side before turning her head away to focus on their professor.

And Joohyun wondered what had she meant by _someone like her_.

**

Days like this - where she has to stay back after lectures to catch up on her studies - are getting more frequent. It was slightly after six in the evening when Joohyun decided that she was done with studying for the day. As she steps out of the campus with books in hand, she stops in her track when she caught sight of Krystal across the road. She’s with her usual group of friends, namely Chanyeol, Minho and Seulgi. They seem to be having a discussion of some sort.

As if sensing her presence, Krystal turned to look at her and gave her a soft smile. She’s sure the smile was directed at her, there was no one anywhere near her. _How is it that Krystal always seem to know when she’s around?_ Joohyun mentally asked herself, before reciprocrating the girl’s smile with one of her own. 

Still in her little bubble of thought, Joohyun did not see an oncoming motorcycle towards her, and when she did, the motorcycle was only a few meters from crashing into her. She stood rooted to the ground, her mind blanked out. What is she suppose to do, to run away or to brace for the collision? If she were to run, which way should she go? She didn’t have the willpower to make any decision in that split second so she just continued to stand there blankly. The driver had long jumped off the vehicle, leaving the driverless vehicle still going her way. Her heart stopped as she waits for the impact.

But there was none, at all.

Instead, she felt a pair of arms around her as she falls onto the ground and the bike was a few good meters away to her right. It was all too much for her to take in at that moment, and maybe her savior knew that too, which is why they had stayed in that position for awhile. She’s trying to catch her breath as she slowly looks up, feeling a mixture of emotions, but mostly relief and confusion. Wasn’t that girl across the road just now? How was she able to get to her so quickly? And why is the bike so far to the right? Judging by the speed and direction of the vehicle just now, there’s no way it could have ended up there without any interference. She was left even more confused. All these questions in her head need answers, but right now she’s not going to have them.

“Are you o-okay?” Krystal worriedly asks, her breath caught. She has an arm around Joohyun’s back supporting her and her free hand is gently caressing the latter’s face as though she might crumble any second. Krystal had looked so worried. 

“My ankle, it hurts.” Joohyun tried hard to fight back her tears, but the pain was too much for her to bear, so she started sobbing. She only stopped sobbing when she felt herself being lifted off the ground, entirely. Without any warning, Krystal sweeps Joohyun off the ground and carries the girl in her arms - bridal style.

“I’ll send you home.” 

_Silence_.

The walk back to her house has been silent, she has been basking in the warmth that Krystal’s body is emitting. She smells like flowers too and it kinds of comforted her, so she lets herself snuggle deeper into the embrace, wondering how is the taller girl still not tired from carrying her. She don’t remember herself weighing like a feather.

“You saved me. H-how did you even?“

“What do you mean how? I was just beside you - “

“No you weren’t. You were across the road. I know what I saw.” 

Krystal suddenly stops walking and lets out an awkward laugh as she brings her face down towards the other girl, their faces now only an inch apart.

“Maybe you hit your head as well.”

**

Another problem arises for Joohyun when she was picked to attend the university’s annual fund-raising event. It was a 33.33% probability to be picked as a mandatory attendee and Joohyun wasn’t sure if she’s lucky or unlucky. Unlucky because Sooyoung and Wendy didn’t have to go, and lucky because -

“Do you want to come with me and my friends?” 

They had grown a little closer over the last few weeks since Krystal’s heroic act, so when she pops the question, it did not surprise Joohyun. She would have gladly accepted the invitation if Krystal’s friends aren’t in the equation. She’s close with Krystal now, but the same can’t be said for her friends.

“Tempting, but I don’t think I should be interrupting your time with your friends.”

“Don’t worry about it, if anything, they’re the ones interrupting.” 

The fund-raising event seems successful as Joohyun lets her eyes wander around the sea of students partaking in various games and activites. Food stalls are crowded with lines too. 

“Joohyun, over here!” 

From a distance, she could see Krystal waving her hand at her, beckoning her to go over to join them - them as in Krystal and friends. Or the good-looking gang as everyone puts it. As she made her way over and finally stood with them, she could feel many onlookers’ eyes on her, the same kind of attention she gets whenever she’s with Krystal. The attention is too overwhelming for her sometimes, and she wonders how the taller girl could remain so nonchalant about it all.

“This is Joohyun, and these are my friends.”

“I don’t think that is how you introduce people, you should be saying our names!” 

“Dimwit.” 

“Hey I said our names, not calling us names!” Chanyeol’s eyes widened and Joohyun could faintly see the same glow in his eyes as she did with Krystal’s.

Joohyun could only laugh at their antics. _This might be fun_ , she thought. Amidst all the bickering, Krystal quietly slips her hand into Joohyun’s unsuspecting one as she whispered into the shorter girl’s ear.

“Don’t want you getting lost, do I?” 

**

Joohyun could feel someone - no make it two - following behind her as she makes her way home. She took a quick look at her phone to see the alphanumeric _11:48pm_ mocking at her. As she quickens her pace, the footsteps behind her has gotten louder too, a sign that they are hot on her heels. Then she hears someone whistle and now she’s scared. What do those people want with her? 

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing out so late!” A guy shouted.

“Or do you wanna go have a drink with us!“ Another one chimed in. Sleazy.

She’s deciding between turning around to confront them or running away, but both seemed like a bad idea. Just then, one of the guys grabs her from behind to stop her from walking away. Joohyun barely got any time to register the guy’s face when a familiar figure appears infront of her and took matters into her own hands. 

The street was dark and empty, but despite being shown only her back view, Joohyun could easily recognise that figure. She looks on as Krystal grabs the guy's hand and yanks it away from her wrist, breaking the hold he had on her.

"Keep your filthy hands off her," Krystal demands. 

Joohyun is watching as Krystal single handedly lifts the guy up before sending a punch right to his jaw. She is sure she heard something crack. The girl then went on to the other guy and punch him in the guts which sent him flying a good ten meters away. 

Right there and then, all Joohyun could think about is _how in the world can a girl have that much strength?_

“Krystal stop! Let them go!” The two guys are now making their run. 

In a flash, Krystal is now facing her, and Joohyun vaguely hears a low growl coming from her.

“Distract me so I don’t turn around and kick their asses off.” Krystal mutters through her clenched teeth. Her eyes are glowing a light shade of brown now. Joohyun brought her hands up and placed them on the arms of the taller girl, an action that seemed to work in calming Krystal down.

“Your eyes, they changed colour.”

“They do when I see something I like infront of me.” Krystal softly replied.

“So you were following me?”

“It’s late and it’s not safe. I was trying to keep a distance until I heard the shitty ideas they had in their heads. It wasn’t nice.” Krystal could feel her anger coming back.

“So you _knew_ what they were thinking?”

“N-not hard to guess.” Krystal tried to avoid Joohyun’s gaze but the latter wasn’t allowing that. With both her hands, she forcefully turns Krystal back to face her.

“I-I have a feeling I know what this is about.”

Krystal remained silent, which prompted Joohyun to continue. She took in a deep breath before continuing.

“That day you saved me, you were so fast. Your eyes, they change colours and your strength could send a vehicle flying. Now you are telling me you can read minds.”

“Except for yours.” 

Is that Krystal’s way of acknowledging everything she had just said? Was she right about it? 

“So I-I am right about it?” Joohyun’s shaky voice was obvious but she’s not at all afraid, because she knows the girl wouldn’t hurt her.

“So what do you think I am?”

“V-vampir - “ 

Before she could complete her sentence, she felt a pair of lips on hers. Krystal’s lips are cold. _Another vampire trait_. But that did not faze her at all. And as if her hands have a mind of their own, they made their way up to wrap around the taller girl’s neck as she shuts her eyes, letting the kiss overwhelm her, her way of assuring the girl that she could continue her maneuvers. Getting the assurance she needed, Krystal steps up her game. She lets her hands rest on the shorter girl’s waist as she pulls her in closer, deepening the kiss they are sharing. After a minute at it, Krystal lightly bit on Joohyun’s lower lip and then reluctantly pulls away. She reckons the girl needed the air and she has something to say.

“I am no good news for you, but I don’t have the strength to stay away from you.”

“Then don’t.”

Joohyun was right when she thought this girl could fight, but she totally didn't think she would be dating a vampire.

**

end. (or maybe not?)


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve lived a hundred years. If I have to live for another hundred, it’d be nice to have you in it.”

***

It has been almost eight months since Joohyun started dating the vampire. Things were going oddly well for them, which had Joohyun thinking. 

_’Shouldn’t dating a vampire bring about troubles? Where are the relationship problems her friends spoke of?’_

And instantly, she regretted jinxing herself like that. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the said vampire walking along the hallway with Chanyeol beside her. While still leaning against the wall outside the lecture hall, Joohyun angled her head a little more so that the duo was fully in her sight. 

Was Krystal walking towards her? The thought of it had sent jitters through her body as she continued staring. She was fully indulging in the way Krystal walks with a little sway, the way her straight hair seemed a little messy today and the way the corners of her lip went up when their eyes met.

Joohyun liked what she was seeing until she don’t. A girl had appeared out of nowhere, stopping Krystal and Chanyeol in their tracks. 

“H-hello I don’t think we have spoken but maybe we could study together after classes?” The girl’s voice was shaky but she still managed to finish her sentence in one breath, which meant that she must have practiced her speech prior. Krystal is no relationship expert but she knew what these had meant. She also knew what friends are for.

“Thanks for the invite but I guess I’m a little busy,” Krystal politely turned down the girl but not before adding, “maybe you could study with Chanyeol? He’s way smarter than me.” Chanyeol’s eyes widened at the mention of his name.

_‘Take one for the team.’_ Krystal said it in her head because only Chanyeol needed to hear it. Vampires’ conversation.

_‘What for?’ He mentally scoffed._

Krystal let her gaze fall back to Joohyun, who now has her head down and adjusting her lenseless round glasses so that it doesn’t fall off her face. Chanyeol followed her line of sight.

_‘Fine, you owe me one.’_

_‘You are the best!’_

Their conversation ended there and immediately Krystal was nowhere to be seen.

“Someone is walking over.” Joohyun felt a nudge. Why had she forgotten that Joy was still beside her, afterall they were waiting for Wendy to be done with her lecture so that they could have their lunch together.

“Hi.” Joohyun looked up and she was presented with a beautiful face no more than five centimetres away from hers. Her favourite to be exact. 

She jolted back a little, surprised because they _rarely_ display such affection within campus compound. They had agreed on no public display of affection in campus, but Joohyun desperately wanted to retract that after seeing her girlfriend’s suitors and admirers on the rise. The good-looking gang members living up to their name.

After getting no response from the shorter girl, Krystal looked to the girl beside her for help, but in return only got a shrug from Joy. Guess she would have to do it her way. She gently placed both her hands on Joohyun’s arm and slowly slided them down until they met Joohyun’s smaller hands. Krystal has always loved how Joohyun’s small hands can bring about such a generous amount of warmth in contrast to her own cold ones. 

“What are you doing?”

“Assuring someone’s little insecure soul.” Krystal was asking for it. Joohyun had almost wanted to give in until she heard that. _How dare that conceited brat._

“That is not going to hurt me, you know.” The taller girl was referring to the light punches Joohyun was sending her way. Can those even be considered punches? It would be an insult to the martial arts world.

“You - “ 

With a firm grip and wide grin, Krystal stopped Joohyun’s hand from flailing around. She found it adorable how Joohyun even thinks she could win against a vampire’s strength. Maybe she thought her girlfriend would give in. 

“You can’t entirely blame it on me when people come up to me,” Krystal stated with a conceited shrug, her hands now slipped into Joohyun’s, “but you can do something to stop them from doing - ” 

Before Krystal could even finish what she was hinting at, she felt a pair of warm lips pressed against hers, though a little dry and chapped, but still endearing nonetheless. Joohyun’s hands were now tugging at the hem of her black oversized pullover, an action that fueled Krystal’s maneuvers as she lightly parted her lips to kiss her a little deeper. Action speaks louder than words, but that doesn’t make words any less meaningful. 

“ _No one_ could ever compare to you.”

And that is one fine vampire Joohyun is dating.

*****

Two years into their relationship and that was when a real problem arises and choices had to be made.

“How long more do you think we can be together?” They were seated on the couch with a blanket drapped over their cuddling bodies as they watched Netflix documenting wildlife. Joohyun could tell that Krystal’s mind was long gone from the television but she had no slightest idea this was what was going through her mind the whole afternoon. 

“Why are you asking that?”

Krystal had no idea why she suddenly asked that. The past few days she had been troubling herself with thoughts about their future and the last thing she wanted was to burden Joohyun with them. Joohyun is too kind, and she’s too good for someone like her, or at least that was what Krystal thought.

If there’s anything that Krystal had learnt from their past two years together, it’s that Joohyun came from another world - one where there’s nothing except kindness and selflessness - much unlike the one she came from. 

“Yknow, in a way, we come from two different world.”

As much as they tried to avoid it, they knew they needed to have that conversation someday.

“Well, you’ve been in my world. Bring me to yours.”

How could Joohyun speak of it so lightly when she had sleepless nights over it? Is she not aware of the dangers that linger in her world? But how is she going to say no to the innocent face staring back at her? 

“It’s not as nice and pleasant as you think it is.” That’s just a nicer way of saying _‘it’s dangerous’_. They are her own people afterall, she didn’t want to make them seem downright bad because who is she to say she’s different from them? 

And Joohyun knew that.

“In my world, there are bad people too. So why should yours be any different?”

God knows how much Krystal love this girl. How could she bring herself to turn down that innocent yet daring request? She couldn’t and she wouldn’t.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Krystal gave a harmless smirk as she slid a hand dangerously underneath Joohyun’s shirt. That hand would keep her up the whole night.

What a double - standard brat.

***

The last time their car was full was when Minho was still dating that Yerim girl and that was some twenty years ago? Ever since then it was always just the four of them as they drove back to their _hometown_ for their annual mass gathering over a weekend. So why is it a little different this time round?

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” The car ride had been silent for the past forty minutes until Seulgi decided to change that. She looked over to Krystal and then back to the girl in question. Krystal had commanded her to sit in between herself and Seulgi, merely stating that it’d be safer that way. “I am good.”

“You know the last time a human came with us, she wanted out before we could even reach the doorstep.” Chanyeol turned around and said to Joohyun.

“Let’s just say that there were some obstacles along the way.” Minho reassured her while keeping his eyes on the road.

“Yeah those _obstacles_ were triggered because they smell a human scent - “ Chanyeol was forcefully shushed when a black cap flew right into his handsome face. He let out a yelp and threw the cap back at Krystal, the latter immediately caught it with one hand and placed it back on her head. The whole banter not escaping Joohyun’s sight.

Her girlfriend is so damn attractive. Joohyun quietly slipped an arm under Krystal’s, holding on to it as if her life depended on it. Krystal looked down to her and smiled assuringly.

Maybe it does, maybe her life depended on everything Krystal is.

***

Joohyun didn’t know for how long she had slept until she was rudely awaken by loud banging noises. She slowly fluttered her eyes open only to be greeted by a head hanging from above the car window. What is the person doing on top of a moving car? The knocking continued. A little creeped out, she looked to Krystal for answers.

“He is a homeless. He knows you are not one of us.”

“Just ignore him, he can’t get into the car or anywhere near where we will be at.” Seulgi reassured her while Chanyeol boasted, “even if he did, I could take him down easily!” 

Joohyun felt a weight beside her shift as Krystal leaned down to whisper into her ear, “if he can’t, I can.”

***

It wasn’t long until Minho pulled the car off the road and parked it among a few others. It should be no later than five in the evening but it was already dark. Joohyun stepped out of the car and looked up to the sky. A full moon was blantantly hung up there, and the sky was so clear, like nothing was qualified to stand beside it. 

She took in a deep breath and then everything else surrounding her. Trees that were oddly tall and dense, fog that was so heavy she could barely see anything in it.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” she had no idea when did Krystal walked up to her and had their hands intertwined, but she knew she was anything but afraid. “With you around, I’ll never be.”

“Let’s go then.” 

Minho was infront of them leading the way into the deep forest while Chanyeol and Seulgi were tagging along behind them. They hadn’t been walking for too long until they broke into a small clearing where a heartwarming sight greeted them. It was all too familiar for the four vampires, but it was a first for Joohyun.

She stood there rooted to the ground, trying to take in everything that was played infront of her. There was a fire lit up. Some were dancing, some were running. Laughter was everywhere. It was nothing like she had imagined at all. She had expected vampires, but they looked so human. She had expected quietness, but it was so lively. Most of all she had expected coldness, but it was so warm. Literally and figuratively.

“So you’re the human?” A young looking man came up to her and made his presence known. 

“Her name is Joohyun, and this is my sister in name, Amber.” 

Sister? Right, so vampires have their preferences too. But that was the least of her concern.

“Sister in name?”

“We are not real siblings, we just happened to grow up together!” Amber explained on Krystal’s behalf while the latter only nodded.

“You guys are finally here! Krystal and Minho you’re both in the first group! It’s starting in fifteen minutes!” A lady was catching her breath, both hands on her waist. 

“Hi, I’m Taeyeon,” she let out when she finally noticed an unfamiliar presence. “You must be Joohyun? Krystal told me she’d be bringing someone special.” 

Krystal wanted to smack Taeyeon in the face for exposing her like that, but instead she settled for adjusting her cap to hide her embarrassment. Punching her could wait, Krystal had more important thing to do.

“You guys can go over first, I’ll be there in a bit.” A series of snickers and whistles ensued. “Don’t take too long!” She was so going to punch that idiot in her face. 

“What’s happening?” Joohyun asked, a hint of worry was apparant in her tone.

“It’s a contest, our tradition. We fight each other to get to the top. Whoever wins will get a prize.”

“What prize?”

“A dance.”

“A dance?” Krystal could tell that Joohyun was puzzled. Why would anyone fight and risk getting injured just for a dance when you can do that at anytime of the day, anywhere. So she went on to explain.

“It’s not just a dance. For us, it’s a form of declaration. So if they have someone they want to spend their lifetime with, they would want to win that contest. For that one dance with their special someone.” 

Joohyun was close to tearing, aren’t vampires supposed to be cold-hearted?

“Then are you going to win it?”

“Do you want me to?” 

“I do.”  
  
“Then I will.”

***

“Good evening everyone! Welcome to our annual contest of ‘That one dance’! Today we have four groups consisting of twelve participants each! May the odds be in your favor, goodluck!” 

Everyone started cheering as soon as the emcee ended his speech. The atmosphere was getting heated up as the participants from the first group gathered at the base of what seem to be a fifteen storey high wooden structure.

“To be honest, I’ve never seen Krystal look this determined before, you must be pretty special to her.” 

She turned her head to face Taeyeon.

“She’s everthing to me.”

“You do realise what her winning this contest means right?”

“It’d be my honor to spend a lifetime with her.”

***

Two more minutes until the official start and low growls echoed across the competition ring. Were they _changing?_ Krystal had informed her beforehand that they’ll be competing in their natural form. _‘I won’t look that much different.’_

And Krystal was right, she didn’t look much different except she now has longer and sharper canines and veins threatening to pop anytime. And to Joohyun, those are sexy as hell. From afar, Krystal flashed her trademark smirk and Joohyun had to try so hard to not have a meltdown.

BANG! 

A shot rang through the forest, signaling the start of the competition.

They were fast, and they were fighting to grab a spot on the narrow structure as they simultaneously made their way up. It was no easy feat, they had to advance up while keeping their competitors down. 

_Please don’t get hurt, please don’t get hurt._

Joohyun mentally chanted as her eyes followed Krystal closely, but she was moving too fast for Joohyun to keep up. When she could spot Krystal, it meant that the girl had been pushed down by someone and her heart would clenched a little. _Please be okay._

But Krystal wasn’t going to back down so easily. She looked down, trying to see how far she has come, and then back up to see how much more to go. It would’ve helped a little if her sweat weren’t covering her line of sight. But despite that, she could see that there were two competitors ahead of her. She could feel the strain in her muscles starting to kick in.

“You can thank me later!” 

Minho’s voice was so loud it pierced through her thought bubble and brought her right back to reality. She watched on as he continuously pushed their competitors down instead of advancing up himself.

“Stop staring at me and go get your dance!”

That was when she understood what he was trying to do. He was helping her. She looked over to the spectator stand to find Joohyun and gang on their feet with hands flailing in the air cheering for her. If the entire universe was working with her, who was she to go against it?

With one hand still on the wooden structure, she used the other to wipe the sweat away from her forehead. Now she could see clearly, that actually the two ahead of her weren’t that far ahead. Most importantly, they were engaging in a fight of their own. 

She used this chance to make her way up but unfortunately - or fortunately depending on how you see it, one of them lost the fight. One less competitor, but it also meant that the other was going to go after her. She felt a strong hold on her shoulder and then a sharp jab to her side. She groaned as it happened. The guy was trying to detach her from the structure. He was strong, but not quite strong enough to tear her away with just one hand. 

If she could win this guy here she could win the contest, which means she gets to spend a lifetime with Joohyun, and that was really really really very motivating. And she wanted nothing more than that. 

She could feel a surge of energy bursting through her body as she inched closer towards the guy. Baring her harmless fangs at him, she gave him a kick in his unsuspecting leg before giving him a jab in the stomach, which resulted in him only having one hand on the structure, the other hand in the air. She had to be quick before he regains his balance. With all the strength she had left in her body, she peeled the guy’s hand off the pole and that’s it, she had won. 

“And so… we have a winner from group one! Krystal!”

***

“Do they hurt?” They were now back in their room getting ready for the dinner, yet Joohyun wouldn’t stop inspecting the cuts and bruises Krystal took back from the contest. There were nine of them, Joohyun counted.

“They’ll heal.” 

It was going to be a special night for them, so the last thing Krystal wanted was for the attention to be on her nasty wounds.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

“Only tonight?” Joohyun teased, a little challenge won’t hurt right? 

With her light brown eyes, Krystal began to undress her. She scanned her from top to bottom before settling her palm on the slit of Joohyun’s black dress. 

_A little too revealing_ , Krystal thought. 

She pressed her body against Joohyun’s while her hand worked past the hem of the dress and came into contact with the owner’s warm body. Joohyun knew what the vampire was trying to do. As much as she wanted to give in, they had somewhere to be at.

“Tempting, but not now. We should get going.” Joohyun lightly patted the taller girl’s chest. It wasn’t her intention for it to come out so seductive but it did. Krystal inwardly groaned, _dammit._

***

As they entered the dining hall, what greeted them was a scene that didn’t differ much from what Joohyun had expected. Finally something that looked like what she had imagined. The dining hall looked like it was set in the 1960s. The place was dimly lit with light from the chandeliers bouncing off the dark wooden walls. There was quite a number of long rectangular tables nicely decorated with candles on them. Sophisticated, the place just screams _vampires._

They were strolling in, some in suits and some in dresses. A few of them took quick glances at Joohyun while some held their gaze slightly longer. Her discomfort didn’t go unnoticed by Krystal as she held her closer to her.

“It’s been awhile since we have a human within us.” Krystal whispered as she gracefully took a glass of wine off the waiter’s tray. Joohyun looked at the contents of the glass as Krystal offered it to her. 

Dark red liquid - that can’t be wine, can it? Joohyun thought. She shuddered and shook her head. 

“It’s wine. Let’s take our seats, shall we?” 

Dinner was going well as laughter graced the whole table. They were sitting with the usual gang namely Seulgi, Minho and Chanyeol. 

“Who else is excited to see Krystal dance!” Of course one can count on Chanyeol for comments like that. But why would Seulgi and Minho join in.

“Me too!”

“Me three!”

“Shut up.” Krystal’s face was flushed, unsure if it’s from the wine or embarrassment, or both. She was contemplating on whether to confess to Joohyun that she’s not that great of a dancer. Why hadn’t she thought of that before she decided to win that contest? She could’ve saved herself from the impending embarrassment. She wasn’t given much time to think when the emcee’s voice echoed through the dining hall.

And the music was on.

Krystal stood up and extended an inviting hand to her girlfriend. She’s not going falter, at least not infront of Joohyun tonight. As she slowly led them to the dance floor, her mind was having a last minute crash course on its own, scenes from television started to fill her head. But she knew she didn’t need them when Joohyun wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her close. 

Everything just becomes instinctive. She let her hands rest on Joohyun’s waist as she slowly took in her soft features accentuated by the warm light. Joohyun is beautiful, and she’s hers.

“Taeyeon told me you understood the implication of this dance.” Krystal had forgotten about her two left foot as they were now swaying along with the music.

“A lifetime with you doesn’t sound too bad to me.”

“You know it means that you’ve to live for as long as I do.” 

“I know what I’m saying and I definitely know what _lifetime_ means.” 

Why does Joohyun sound so sure? How could she be so sure that this is what she wanted?

“Why would you want this?” There was a slight uncertainty in Krystal’s voice. What if twenty years down the road Joohyun gets sick of her and regrets her decision? What if she sees the ugly side of her world and then wants nothing to do with it? What if -

“Because I love you. It’s not all glitter and gold, but if that means I have you, then so be it.”

“Are you very sure? There’s no turning back.” Krystal leaned in to seal the slightest gap they had left. Joohyun has always been so assuring.

“I will always want to be yours.” 

***

fin.

**Author's Note:**

> #happyIRENEday!


End file.
